Energy:
Wind Stations:
A small wind turbine is enough electricity for private use. In remote areas a windmill might be the only way to produce electricity cheaply without equipment such as a petrol generator.
Wind turbines on average will 'pay off' the non-renewable energy used to make them in the first 6.5 months. This means that the vast majority of their lifetime (approximately 20 years) will be spent creating clean, renewable energy that far exceeds the power used in their manufacturing and installation.
Wind power is environmentally friendly.
We will require studies to be conducted to determine:
1. If their placement will obstruct the flight path of migratory birds.
2. If our settlement will have enough man power to install a large scale wind farm.
3. If the turbines would be better suited on the westernmost coast of the island or extending above the treeline on the top of the volcano.
4. Would we be able to transport the power through power lines? While they aren't unsustainable is there a better way to move the energy from one place to another?
Geothermal Power:
Geothermal power is limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries.It is both sustainable and environmentally friendly as well as reliable and cost effective. The Greenhouse gas emissions are much lower per energy unit than those of fossil fuels which makes it comparably 'green'. Geothermal power can help reduce global warming.
The Australian Geothermal Energy Association has a very comprehensive explanation of how geothermal power can be harnessed and used.
However, unfortunately they do not have a comprehensive report on the infrastructure required for the harnessing of Volcano geothermal power because the Australian landscape is not suited to that method. They do have a good diagram of how it should be done though:
According to the New Zealand Geothermal Association many things can vary about geothermal power plants in terms of situation and what specific type of geothermal power they are trying to harness. There are however three essential things that are needed, thus, three things we need to find out if we have:
a subsurface heat source that may be igneous magma bodies or heat stored in other rocks
fluid to transport the heat
faults, fractures or permeability within sub-surface rocks that allow the heated fluid to flow from the heat source to the surface or near-surface.
Without discovering if the island has access to these three things the question of building materials and labour becomes moot.
Finally, we also need to discover exactly how much land mass is required for the main power plant. If it requires the removal of tropical rainforest to create this space will the gains be worth it? Or would it be better suited on the plains of the island where there would be no need to log? If Wind turbines can be erected with very little disruption to the landscape are they not a better option or would a smaller geothermal plant generate more power in the long term given the average life of a turbine is only 20 years. Conundrums!
Hydro Electricity
Hydro electricity maybe possible using river system because of the sharp gradient of descent as indicated by the tightly bunched contour lines on the map of the island. However, the volume of water that is present is not indicated on 'The Island' wiki, nor a report of the consistency of flow. Hydro-electricity often uses a dam system to ensure that the amount of power being generated can be controlled by the release of specific amounts of water, is a dam appropriate for this landscape? There is no indication on the map that the river has a plateau at its highest source so would we need to build one and if so, where?
Hydro electricity is kind to the environment.
Hydroelectricity kits are available for purchase in a DIY format for small scale use. Some systems are designed for remote areas where road transport is difficult or non existant and would be ideal for use at our settlement site. If we have access to larger scale wind farms and potentially a geothermal plant as well, it may be beneficial to forgo this power source and leave the rivers for other purposes.
How much energy required is, of course, dependent on population of settlement and trade.
Transport:
Being on the mountainside gives an advantage to a 'rope and pulley' system.
Traveling to other settlements via horses, boats (along coast), bikes.
Command has given the ok for roads, do we actually want roads, would they serve us any better than an above ground option like gondolas?
No cars due to complex infrastructure required as well as harmful effects on environment. We have agreed in principle that we should avoid bitumen road building and where possible use the river system for transportation.
Communication:
Satellite phone line and internet.
Pulley system.
The original and the best - snail mail or messenger service. We haven't given much thought to the production of and recycling of paper thus far though.
Alarm system for volcano warnings and storm threats, this could potentially be Island wide through the location of communication towers. Each settlement could have one for generalised warnings and information with a central hub collecting information from all settlements. Not dissimilar to the minarets in Istanbul that call the general populace to prayer, these towers would be more reliable in bad weather than radio signals.
Wind Stations:
A small wind turbine is enough electricity for private use. In remote areas a windmill might be the only way to produce electricity cheaply without equipment such as a petrol generator.
Wind turbines on average will 'pay off' the non-renewable energy used to make them in the first 6.5 months. This means that the vast majority of their lifetime (approximately 20 years) will be spent creating clean, renewable energy that far exceeds the power used in their manufacturing and installation.
Wind power is environmentally friendly.
We will require studies to be conducted to determine:
1. If their placement will obstruct the flight path of migratory birds.
2. If our settlement will have enough man power to install a large scale wind farm.
3. If the turbines would be better suited on the westernmost coast of the island or extending above the treeline on the top of the volcano.
4. Would we be able to transport the power through power lines? While they aren't unsustainable is there a better way to move the energy from one place to another?
Geothermal Power:
Geothermal power is limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries.It is both sustainable and environmentally friendly as well as reliable and cost effective. The Greenhouse gas emissions are much lower per energy unit than those of fossil fuels which makes it comparably 'green'. Geothermal power can help reduce global warming.
The Australian Geothermal Energy Association has a very comprehensive explanation of how geothermal power can be harnessed and used.
However, unfortunately they do not have a comprehensive report on the infrastructure required for the harnessing of Volcano geothermal power because the Australian landscape is not suited to that method. They do have a good diagram of how it should be done though:
According to the New Zealand Geothermal Association many things can vary about geothermal power plants in terms of situation and what specific type of geothermal power they are trying to harness. There are however three essential things that are needed, thus, three things we need to find out if we have:
Without discovering if the island has access to these three things the question of building materials and labour becomes moot.
Finally, we also need to discover exactly how much land mass is required for the main power plant. If it requires the removal of tropical rainforest to create this space will the gains be worth it? Or would it be better suited on the plains of the island where there would be no need to log? If Wind turbines can be erected with very little disruption to the landscape are they not a better option or would a smaller geothermal plant generate more power in the long term given the average life of a turbine is only 20 years. Conundrums!
Hydro Electricity
Hydro electricity maybe possible using river system because of the sharp gradient of descent as indicated by the tightly bunched contour lines on the map of the island. However, the volume of water that is present is not indicated on 'The Island' wiki, nor a report of the consistency of flow. Hydro-electricity often uses a dam system to ensure that the amount of power being generated can be controlled by the release of specific amounts of water, is a dam appropriate for this landscape? There is no indication on the map that the river has a plateau at its highest source so would we need to build one and if so, where?
Hydro electricity is kind to the environment.
Hydroelectricity kits are available for purchase in a DIY format for small scale use. Some systems are designed for remote areas where road transport is difficult or non existant and would be ideal for use at our settlement site. If we have access to larger scale wind farms and potentially a geothermal plant as well, it may be beneficial to forgo this power source and leave the rivers for other purposes.
How much energy required is, of course, dependent on population of settlement and trade.
Transport:
Being on the mountainside gives an advantage to a 'rope and pulley' system.
Traveling to other settlements via horses, boats (along coast), bikes.
Command has given the ok for roads, do we actually want roads, would they serve us any better than an above ground option like gondolas?
No cars due to complex infrastructure required as well as harmful effects on environment. We have agreed in principle that we should avoid bitumen road building and where possible use the river system for transportation.
Communication:
Satellite phone line and internet.
Pulley system.
The original and the best - snail mail or messenger service. We haven't given much thought to the production of and recycling of paper thus far though.
Alarm system for volcano warnings and storm threats, this could potentially be Island wide through the location of communication towers. Each settlement could have one for generalised warnings and information with a central hub collecting information from all settlements. Not dissimilar to the minarets in Istanbul that call the general populace to prayer, these towers would be more reliable in bad weather than radio signals.